Palmpowerups - dead?
 

The website Palmpowerups .com appears to be functional, I bought the SDHC driver for my TX through an automated process.

However it doesn't behave as the instructions say, and I cannot get a reply from the website owner.

Does anyone know if they are no longer operational and the site is a ghost? Or how to contact them?

Thanks - W

PalmPowerups is alive and well. I bought SDHC Driver a few weeks ago with no problems. Make sure that you login to the "Your Software" section to get your key, it will NOT be emailed to you. Read the instructions again, it's a bit tricky but worked for me.

OB

Yes and no
 

I suspect you mean that you went through an automated process and did not need to get in touch with the website owner. If everything goes according to the instructions, then you'd have no problems. Indeed the website appears to be fully functional.

The problem is that, when the indicated process does not work, nobody seems to be at the wheel behind the website, and you've lost your $20-30.

I had no problem purchasing the SDHC software, and the item appears in the "my software" section as it is supposed to.

I am supposed to download the Trial version, install it, which was fine.

Then launch the Trial version and it will tell me my "device ID." This does not work - I just get an error message saying the key is missing.

Supposedly I would use the "device ID" to "generate" a key in the "my software" section of the site. But since it wont tell me my "device ID" I cant generate a key. And it seems that it wont run without a key first - a loop.

So I attempted to contact them to see if they could suggest a solution. So far I have heard nothing, not even an automated "we got your email" reply. Which made me wonder if in fact, the website was functional but abandoned or something like that.

If anyone else had the same SDHC driver problem and found a solution I'd love to hear about it.

i am alive, but just switched jobs, so it is a bit turbulent. re-email me for help :)

Dmitry,

Nice to hear you are alive. Sorry your life is in such turmoil. Can you help me with my license? I paid you for it 2/1/2011 and have never heard from you despite emails and messages.

Well, it seems you were able to get a response from Dmitry. If he responds to your email can you put in a word for me? I would appreciate it. :cool:

So far that post is the only communication I've had. I'm starting to think about trying to get my money back via Paypal if possible. Its sad, its a good product line, but there needs to be a BIG warning on the website saying there's no customer support/service.

Try #1:

Start a directory tool and search for a file named "sdhc.key" or like that.

Delete it.

If you can't delete it try ForceDelete (is to be find here in the freeware area i think)

Try #2

If you can't find a key like that, then do a backup of your Palm and then a hard reset (wipe out reset, delete all reset) . Then put the SDHC.prc on your fresh palm.

Does it work ? Can you get your ID# ?

For any future use to anyone
 

Never heard a thing from Palm Powerups, aka Dimitry. He/they got my $30 and I got nothing for it.

So fair warning to anyone considering Palm Powerups products - there is effectively no real customer support for the product.
If it works on the first try, then you're fine. But if you have any installation problems, you've lost your money.

There are a number of great freeware items on the website that would be risk-free (since they're free).

Thanks to "Another Michael" for suggestions. Unfortunately I use my Palm to improve efficiency, not spend time messing around with unsupported software - I don't mean to be rude but I don't have time to conduct product testing that is the manufacturer's responsibility.
There's no obvious sdhc key file, which I couldn't obtain, because the trial version wouldn't give me the device ID to begin with. I bought it because it was supposed to improve my TX, since it doesn't work I either want customer support, or my money back.

If I ignored my clients like Palm Powerups, I'd be out of business. If its a hobby with no support, then there needs to be a very visible warning on the website that you are risking your money without support. Of course that might deter people from sending money if they knew up front.

Have to admit I'm disappointed.

Last note on this problem. I just bought another TX second hand and tried installing the SDHC Trial on it, since I had effectively already lost my $30 to Dmitry. This time the message included an ID number and I was able to obtain the working SDHC key from the Palm Powerups website for the new TX. So when it works, it does work.

Sadly I have never heard from Dmitry or anyone at Palmpowerups. They were happy to take my money and keep it, without making any effort to resolve this issue or at least offer a refund.
This will prevent me from buying anything further from them, though I had originally wanted to, and I would not encourage others to either. The lack of both practical and ethical concern for clients places Palm Powerups among the grab-the-money-and-run class of opportunists who rely on their product working most of the time while abandoning anyone who may need actual service once they have the money.

The slogan "Annoying me is NOT an approved way of encouraging me to produce software" apparently includes any attempt to get service. Conversely, annoying clients is not an approved way to achieve a good reputation.

Considering the plight of our old Palms, it would be a much appreciated kindness if Dmitry out of pure kindness release his old stuff as freeware now. A number of companies have cut us a break by doing that. Give us some kudos for keeping the old stuff alive and usable. I think this community itself is dwindling down. My LD is still in use every day though! :-)

I have just purchased PowerDiGi from PalmPowerups, but my key didn't work. I too have emailed Dmitry, but have not gotten a response. Should I consider my $17 gone? If so, I'll be filing a complaint with Paypal and the BBB. I'm going to try and contact Dmitry through other means and give him the benefit of the doubt here however.

Having recently inherited a basically unused LD, I am quite interested in the PowerDrive app to upgrade to CF memory. However I have learned the hard way to solicit a response from a Palm app vendor *before* actually plunking down money.

After numerous attempts to contact Dimitry through forums and his website, it is clear that I will not be doing business with him. Yes, PalmPowerups is dead.

Chris Short, on the other hand, has responded quite promptly to me and, for about the same money as a new CF card and PowerDrive, he will send me a pre-formatted CF card that will be a drop-in replacement for the MD.

That's what I call a no-brainer.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Dmitry. It hasn't been that long, so I will continue to wait, however my TX is pretty much useless without PowerDiGi as I can't access the bottom menu at all and there is a lot of digitizer drift. I'm hoping that he responds...

google talk: dmitrygr@gmail.com
skype: dgrinbe2